Mock courts and mayor ceremonies were frequent prior to 1836. The majority of the population in Britain were not entitled to vote plus it was a great way to poke fun at the rich and powerful. In Tenby the name given to the mock mayor was the Lord Mayor of Pennyless Cove, whilstin Bideford it was the mayor of Shamickshire. In Exeter a dealer in china was appointed mayor so he paraded around the town wearing a chamber pot on his head! It was common to see these officials riding donkeys and carrying cabbages. In some areas mock Members of Parliament were selected. In the Cornish town of Halgavor a mock court was held..So political satire is not just a modern day invention.These ceremonies also provided an opportunity for people to express opinions.